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MONTREAL, Sept. 8, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Community Groups Network, the Fondation Notre Home Foundation and CBC Quebec are pleased to announce that Alexander Gordon is the first ever winner of the Young Quebecers Leading the Way Award which recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of young English-speaking Quebecers who are engaged in innovative initiatives that create change in our communities.

"From a very young age I've always had a passion for community engagement and volunteerism," Gordon says. He began working towards bettering his community in primary school where he volunteered at the local swimming pool and for some local sporting events. Gordon was part of his high school student council and received the Pfizer Canada Young Achievers award that celebrated outstanding achievements in and around the West Island of Montreal. In CEGEP, he volunteered in a classroom for special needs students at the MAB—MacKay Rehabilitation Centre. At Concordia University he was involved in the student union and numerous student groups and was president of the Arts and Sciences Federation of Associations which represents nearly 15,000 undergraduates. Gordon was also an executive board member of the Concordia Volunteer Abroad program, a not-for-profit organization promoting volunteerism overseas.

Over the years Gordon has also been involved in numerous other volunteer ventures including the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation's CIBC Run for the Cure events committee and Kids Help Phone where he was the volunteer coordinator of the Walk So Kids Can Talk event. As a reservist serving with the Canadian Grenadier Guards, he received the award for Top Candidate. "He is an individual who inspires and leads from the front," notes Sgt. Adam Wilson, who said Gordon was the unanimous choice of all staff members who were "impressed by his attitude, conduct and his application of leadership and peer mentoring."

Gordon says community engagement is about "bringing people together, influencing positive change to individual people's lives and creating a greater sense of belonging — but also working towards creating a larger impact." He adds that the organizations he has been involved with "help define me, where I'm from and what I stand for — and it's in large part because of this supportive community and network that I am so proud to call Pointe-Claire, Montreal and Quebec my home, and also why I remain so invested in keeping it strong for years to come."

To be eligible for the Young Quebecers Leading the Way Award, candidates had to be under the age of 30, demonstrate outstanding leadership and contribute to an initiative with measurable impact in their community. Judges for the premiere of the youth award included William St-Hilaire, President-General Manager and Artistic Director of Blue Metropolis; Judy Martin of Hylcan Foundation; Thomas Ledwell, Communities Editor at CBC Montreal; David Hodges from the Fondation Notre Home Foundation and Matthew Larventz from QCGN's Board of Directors.

"At just 28, Alex Gordon is a mature leader, team player, giver and motivator who is dedicated to encouraging and supporting other young people to achieve their dreams," commented Youth Employment Services (YES), which nominated him for the award.

"There is a genuine passion to positively influence others that spills out of Alex," wrote Catherine Brisindi, director of marketing and special events at YES, which helps English-speaking youth find employment. "He understands the importance of being a positive role model within our community and was instrumental in bringing an innovative approach to our Making It Work inspirational video project which highlighted influential Quebecers including Just for Laughs founder Andy Nulman, astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi and marketing guru Mitch Joel.

Recipients of the Young Quebecers Leading the Way Award and the Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award will be invited to attend a special community recognition ceremony on Oct. 8 that will be emceed by Sonali Karnick, host of CBC Television's Our Montreal and CBC Radio's All in a Weekend.

The Quebec Community Groups Network (www.qcgn.ca) is a not-for-profit organization bringing together more than 40 English-language community organizations across Quebec. As a centre of evidence-based expertise and collective action, it identifies, explores and addresses strategic issues affecting the development and vitality of the English-speaking community of Quebec and encourages dialogue and collaboration among its member organizations, individuals, community groups, institutions and leaders.